Urticaria/Hives

What is urticaria?

Urticaria, or hives, is a condition in which red, itchy, and swollen raised areas appear on the skin-usually as an allergic reaction from eating certain foods or taking certain medicines however, sometimes the cause may be unknown. Hives can vary in size from one-half inch to several inches in size. Hives can appear all over the body or be limited to one part of the body.

What foods commonly cause hives?

Nuts

Peanuts

Eggs

Shellfish

Milk

What medicines commonly cause hives?

Antibiotics, especially penicillin and sulfa-based drugs

Anticonvulsant or antiseizure drugs

Chemotherapies

Other causes of hives

Dermatographism. Hives caused by scratching the skin, continual stroking of the skin, or wearing tight-fitting clothes that rub the skin.